Movies/Scenes
Representing
Seeing/Not-Seeing, New Ways of Seeing
- Signs (2002)
- See Values & Visions Film Guide, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality & Health for discussion questions.
- Shrek (2001)
- Amelie (2001)
- Amelie walks a blind man across the street, but as she goes she begins telling him all the things around, in detail, in effect giving him sight. (Darrel Manson, Artesia, CA)
- The Green Mile
(1999)
- through John Coffey (J.C.), the warden learns to see the world differently
- Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
- Intimacy/distance themes throughout movie - people wearing masks of various kinds, seeing and yet not seeing each other.
- The Sixth Sense
(1999)
- Malcolm's discovery at the end of the movie.
- "I see dead people. They don't know they're dead. They don't see each other. They only see what they want to see." (Sounds like something that could be said by Jesus in the Gospel of John.)
- Cole's lens-less eyeglasses at the beginning of the film. Malcolm helps him see in new ways, as he helps Malcolm come to terms with his own situation.
- At First
Sight (1999)
- [Virgil], who has been blind, has had an operation to give him sight. When the bandages are removed, he "sees", but has no reference to interepret what he is seeing. (submitted by Susan Townsend, Natchitoches, LA)
- Instinct (1999)
- Powell leads Calder to see the world differently, and leads the other prisoners to see a different way of living together.
- The Horse Whisperer
(1998)
- Annie's way of seeing is altered as Tom Booker heals Grace and Pilgrim.
- Dark City (1998)
- The city is dark until John battles the forces of evil. Then eternal darkness is lifted and light returns to the world.
- Lulu on the Bridge (1998)
- Finding the rock and starting on the quest causes Izzy to find hope and understand different realities.
- A Simple Plan (1998)
- Hank doesn't see his own happiness until he loses everything. Although he sees his brother as the "lesser" of the two of them, it is his brother who was truly connected to their family and "saw" those relationships for what they were.
- The
Cruise (1998)
- Timothy Levitch is a man on a mission to startle people into seeing the beauty of New York City. (submitted by JBarrington)
- Eye of God (1997)
- Ainsley's speech toward end of movie, she removes her glass eye.
- The Game (1997)
- "[The movie is] an incredible film commentary on the Bible verse John 9:25, "Once I was blind but now I can see." (Hollywood Jesus visual review)
- After Nicholas knows he is part of The Game, and something could happen at any time, suddenly he notices people - he sees everyone and everything for the first time. (DVD ch 6)
- Contact
(1997)
- In the movie, she uses this machine built by unknown alien plans. The machine takes her on a journey that is very powerful and real, the problem is that it appears to the entire world that nothing happened. She is dismissed as delusional, but it is as real to her as anything she has ever experienced. Our walk with Christ is the same. It has to be experienced. To those who have not experienced it seems delusional, but for those who walk with Christ it is real and true. (Steve Richardson, First United Methodist Church of Boyd)
- The scene where Dr. Arroway (Jodie Foster) is called to testify before the congressional hearing reminds me of the scene where the Blind Man (well, ex-Blind Man actually) is called to testify before the Pharisees. Whilst there is an obvious difference in that the Blind Man could provide the Pharisees with the sort of physical evidence that Dr. Arroway could not, the interogators in both cases have made their minds up and are unwilling to "see" the truth that is being presented to them. The 'truth' is not always visible to the naked eye. (Andrew Fox, Russell Street Uniting Church, Toowoomba, AU)
- Amistad
(1997)
- After Yamba learns the story of Jesus, he sees crosses everywhere. (see review at Hollywood Jesus)
- Mr.
Holland's Opus (1995)
- Or "hearing/not hearing": Holland's inability to see and hear his son until his son confronts him with that reality.
- Pulp Fiction
(1994)
- Jules and Vincent, side by side, experience being shot at in a flurry of bullets and see the bullet holes on the wall behind them. Jules sees a "miracle" which causes him to try to leave his life as a hit-man. Vincent sees nothing - discounts the "miracle" - and is killed later (earlier!) in the film.
- Philadelphia
(1993)
- The movie "Philadelphia" is an interesting example of a person (the attorney played by Denzel Washington) who starts out with refusal and unseeing then moves through levels of perception in response to an invitation to see the one (the AIDS patient, played by Tom Hanks) seeking his help, and ends up being an instrument of justice as his heart is converted. Not a bad illustration, really, of how the Spirit works in practical life. (submitted by Greg Youngchild)
- Ghost (1990)
- This film works well in helping others to identify with the impulse to share truth and convictions related to the supernatural. The scene were Patrick Swayze first visits Whoopie Goldberg and realizes that she can hear him, followed by the scene of him singing Henry the Eighth I Am, demonstrates that once one hears of and encounters a truth, It is difficult to deny: (submitted by Jay Slocum)
- Awakenings
(1990)
- Dr. Sayer finds medication which can temporarily awaken catatonic people from their condition. Dr. Sayer is "healed" in his own "awakening" (new seeing) as he learns to care for the people he is working with and for.
- Field of Dreams (1989)
- Throughout the movie, Ray sees things that others do not. Only when they have awakened to the faith of the field do they see. John 9:25. Especially the last scene where the skeptical brother in law sees the players on the field for the first time. (Niel Climer)
- Crimes and
Misdemeanors (1989)
- The blind Rabbi sees with moral clarity.
- Rain
Man (1988)
- Charlie cannot see the inadequacies of his own self-centered character and lifestyle until he confronts and learns from his autistic brother.
- RoboCop (1987)
- Robo removing his mask to see his face; dis-covering his identity.
- Blue Velvet (1986)
- Jeffrey: "I'm seeing something that was always hidden. I'm involved in a mystery. I'm in the middle of a mystery and it's all secret." Sandy: "You like mysteries that much?" Jeffrey: You're a mystery and I like you very much."
- Places in the Heart
(1984)
- Mr. Will learns to "see" a different reality after the "baptism" of the tornado (wind/spirit and water). (Malkovich is said to have played that part not by wearing a blindfold and practicing being blind, but by looking into himself at the places where he himself is blind.)
- The Blues
Brothers (1980)
- scene where Jake & Elroy visit the Black church, and see the light. End cue: Elroy" The Band!....." (submitted by Luke Whiteside)
- The
Enchanted Cottage
(1945)
- "Stars Dorothy McGuire and Robert Young. She is tragically plain in appearance, downright ugly-looking to some. He is a once-handsome fighter pilot whose face is disfigured when his plane crashes. They meet when he is convalescing at the cottage where she works as a maid. They marry because (if I remember correctly) they each think the other is the best they will ever be able to do. Shortly after their marriage, they fall in love. This discovery causes them to consummate the union. The next morning, she is radiantly movie-star beautiful, and he is restored to his handsome self. The catch is, that this is the way they see each other, but outsiders still see them as their ugly selves, and treat them accordingly. The only friend they have with whom they can be themselves is a blind neighbor, who treats them according to their new self-confidence, which is itself based upon their new self-image created by love. I have preached this as an illustration of God's great love for us in bringing about salvation -- seeing us only through the eyes of love, and not through the eyes of the world, that stands ready to see only our faults and ugliness." (submitted by Adrienne Brewington, Hollis NY)
- The Wizard of Oz
(1939)
- Another way of looking at it is like in the Wizard of Oz. The world is in shades of gray, and then suddenly you see all the colors of God's rainbow. (submitted by Gayle Bach-Watson)
